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Hooper council hears xeriscaping rebate program; considers ordinance for new development
Summary
Council members heard a presentation on a Weber Basin/state xeriscaping incentive that could pay $2–$2.50 per square foot for conversions and discussed an ordinance to require drought-tolerant landscaping for future development; staff will verify amounts and program rules before advancing policy.
Hooper — At the June 18 work session, the council received a presentation on a xeriscaping ("zeroscaping") incentive program coordinated by Weber Basin and the state that would offer property owners an incentive to replace irrigated lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping.
Presenter Doug explained Weber Basin’s program and cited an illustrative payment of up to about $2.50 per square foot from Weber Basin with a possible state match (the presenter and council had questions about whether the amounts are additive or inclusive). "You don't have to turn in your receipts," Doug said, describing an approval process that includes an initial Zoom walkthrough, the work, and a verification inspection before payment.
Why it matters: The city is under two-day-per-week outdoor watering restrictions and is exploring options to reduce residential water use. Converting an average 5,000-square-foot lawn, presenters said, might yield an incentive roughly in the mid-five-figure range depending on how state and basin amounts apply.
Council members raised practical questions: whether the payments apply to removal of existing lawn or only new development, plant restrictions (the program currently excludes rock-only conversions and requires some live groundcover and trees), maximum aggregate payout caps (a $50,000 cap was discussed), and whether park strips and narrow planting strips should be exempted. One council member noted that—even if every household adopted xeriscaping locally—the statewide savings would be small compared with basin-scale evaporation, but others said the program provides a practical, incremental option for residents.
No formal action was taken. Council directed staff to confirm whether Weber Basin and the state amounts are combined or exclusive, to obtain the contact name at Weber Basin, and to return with a draft ordinance or recommended language for new development standards if the council wishes to proceed.
